Cajun Chicken and Veggies Lasagne / Lasaña de Verduras y Pollo Cajún

It gets hotter and hotter everyday… I mean, temperatures are supposed to stop increasing anytime soon, but I swear it gets worse and worse as the days go by. Which is terrible when your favourite things to do are running, cycling and baking, because it’s literally impossible to carry out such things without melting… I wish it was spring again, I love spring temperatures. Which I don’t like about it is the lack of time to run, cycle and bake because I have like loads of things to do in school… hard times for Consuelo, I tell you.
Ok, I should stop complaining about the weather now (because let’s be honest, it doesn’t matter how much I whine, it isn’t going to get any colder) and go straight to my point:

No bake lasagna. Yep, you heard right. You don’t need to turn on the oven at all to enjoy the gooey, melty, cheesy mess. May I mention it is pretty good for you too? Because it is jam packed with veggies and lean protein. And the skinny bechamel sauce is to die for… so smooth, creamy and velvety that you wouldn’t notice that it’s been lightened up to the max.

This stuff was meant to be a moussaka, full of lovely herbs such mint, oregano and stuff. Thing is I couldn’t refrain myself from reaching for the extra-spicy cajun seasoning jar… that stuff is so darn awesome that I’ve been adding it to literally every dish I make. Thank God I could’t find the jar when I was making the Profiteroles, because you bet I would have put cajun spice on them too. My point is that I no longer can call this stuff moussaka, but it doesn’t really taste of lasagne either… It’s more like the love child of lasagne, moussaka and… TACOS!! If that doesn’t sound awesome to you, I don’t know what would.

The lasagne was pretty light (but filling!) and tasty, everybody loved it at home. I recommend it for you if you still crave cheesy, gooey dishes in the middle of the summer when you’re obviously unable to turn on the oven without the risk of having to leave your house for two days because it’s too hot in there. BUT, the fact that you needn’t an oven doesn’t make this stuff a quick dish, I’m sorry. Like it happens with most of things you make from scratch, it takes a long time to prepare (although ALL steps are really simple)… but let me tell you it is so worth in the end. Don’t let it discourage you from trying it, you’d be missing a deadly lasagne ;–)

For the tomato sauce:

300 gr. ground chicken breast

1/2 a medium zucchinni

1/4 small eggplant

1/2 an onion

3 garlic cloves

1 carrot

1/4 – 1 tsp. cajun spice seasoning

a few dashes dried oregano

a small handful of parsley

350 gr. diced tomato

1 tbsp. tomato paste

salt and pepper, to taste

extra-virgin olive oil for the pan

For the bechamel

300 gr. semi-skimmed milk

30 gr. flour (15 gr. whole wheat + 15 gr. all purpose)

30 gr. butter (you may use light)

salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

For the lasagna layers:

1 huge eggplant (or 2 average sized)

1 zucchinni

1/4-1/2 cup. grated cheese

For the topping:

1 c. shredded parmesan or manchego cheese

fresh basil to garnish

Let’s start by the tomato sauce. Mince all your vegetables (a food processor would be really helpful here!). Heat some olive oil in a pan (as much as you’d normally use to stir-fry your vegetables), and when it’s hot enough, add the minced onion and sautee until fragant. Next, add the rest of the minced vegetables and keep sauteeing on medium heat for 5 minutes more or so. Add ground chicken and seasoning and keep sauteeing until it’s all cooked trough. When it looks done (but not too much), add diced tomatoes and keep cooking until most of the juice has been absorbed/evaporated and you’re left with tomato sauce which is not too wet.

To make the bechamel, start by melting the butter in a saucepan. When it’s fully melted, add all of the flour at once and remove saucepan from the heat, but don’t stop stirring once you’ve thrown in the flour. Keep stirring vigorously until the roux (flour + butter mixture) no longer sticks to the pan. Turn on the heat again and pour milk, stirring while you do it. Cook the mixture on medium heat (keep stirring or the mixture will burn and stick to the bottom of the pan) until it boils and thickens. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. When it’s thick enough, turn off the heat and wait for the bechamel to cool (it will get even thicker). If your mixture looks lumpy (it can happen if you’re using wholewheat flour), puree with a handheld blender.

To make the “faux” lasagne sheets, slice the eggplant and zucchini thinly. Dry roast them in a pan with a bit of salt until they’re fully done.

To assemble, start by spreading a layer of bechamel on your “baking dish”, followed by enough eggplant slices to top it all and a layer of the meat/tomato sauce. Top with zucchini slices and more tomato sauce. Arrange a layer of eggplant slices on top, sprinkle some cheese and add more tomato sauce. Then, top with more zucchini slices and add more bechamel. Add more of that yummy tomato sauce and top with the remaining zucchini/eggplant slices, if you happen to have some left (which depends on the size of your veggies). Top with more cheese and pop the lasagne in the microwave (with the grill function) until the cheese is all gooey, melty and golden. Enjoy!!

Notes:

-I don’t think you can use pasta lasagne sheets for this unless you bake it because they’d end up gummy in the microwave.

-Yes, you can melt the cheese in the oven instead of using the microwave… if you happen to be willing to turn on the oven in this heat…

-You don’t have to follow the same order than me when arranging the layers… use as much of each ingredient as you’d like!

.-Use gluten free flour to make the dish GF, it will turn out just as delish!

No bake lasagna!? I love this uses zucchini! We have so much, this is a perfect lunch idea! I am SO with you on this heat . . . going outside and starting to sweat just isn’t fun. As much I enjoy the changing seasons, I’m ready for some fall weather! (Even though it has been cool the past few days.) Pinned!

Aw, yes we have so so many zucchini plants that we have to eat it everyday ((not that I complain, I love it haha)). I’m always looking for new ways to cook it! I’m craving some of that fall weather too 😉 Thanks for pinning! xx

Sounds (and looks) FABULOUS! I love the idea of lasagna, moussaka, and tacos all getting together. YUM! And guilt-free with the lightened up bechamel and all those seasonal veggies. Great post, Consuelo! Try to stay cool, dear!

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Hello there!

Hi, I'm Consuelo and I like to spend my time obsessing over cute cats on the internet and eating all the peanut butter I can get my hands on. Come say hi and be my dessert and furry creature obsessed friend!